ISO/NP 26981

Plastics — Determination of combined aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation in seawater and sediment conditions — Method by analysis of evolved carbon dioxide and methane ISO/NP 26981

Scope

This document specifies a laboratory-level test method to determine the combined aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation rate and extent of plastic materials when settled on sandy sediments at the interface of the seabed and seawater. This test method can also be applied to other materials. Biodegradability shall be determined by the combined measurement of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) evolved from plastic materials exposed to sediment and seawater collected from the sublittoral zone under laboratory conditions. The test method simulates the sediment-covered state of plastics introduced into the sublittoral zone under laboratory conditions. The conditions described in this standard do not necessarily represent the optimal environmental conditions required for maximum biodegradation in marine environments.